The project site's entrance
is located on Winchester Boulevard, which is designated
as an "Arterial" route within the Town of Los
Gatos General Plan (1994). Both Winchester
Boulevard and Lark Avenue are heavily traveled
thoroughfares. Due to a decrease in the proposed land use
intensity at the site, the project is expected to have a
net reduction in traffic to the site in the long term. As
noted under section I. Land Use and Planning, the project
site is currently used by a tree trimming operation. The
tree trimming operation stores equipment on the site and
uses the site as a base for off-site tree trimming
operations.

During construction of the project the maximum number of
workers at the site would be 12 people. Truck and
worker commute trips to and from the site would increase
during the four month construction period. The impact on
traffic conditions on Winchester Boulevard would be
negligible. During operation, no workers would be
permanently located on the project site and the
substation would be inspected by a PG&E electrician
once a month (PG&E, 1997a). Traffic that would result
from the construction would be small and temporary, and
operation would not generate daily traffic from PG&E
staff or anyone else, as the site would be secured by a
locked gate.. Therefore, the project would have no
long-term increase to vehicle trips or impact on traffic
congestion.

During construction of the distribution feeder line, an
open trench would be created in Winchester Boulevard and
Lark Avenue and across the sidewalk in front of the
substation site along Winchester Boulevard, and wires
would have to be pulled across Winchester Boulevard
(PG&E, 1997b). This would make necessary the
temporary closure of traffic lanes and temporary stoppage
of traffic and pedestrians during wire pulls. The lane
closures would not occur simultaneously and would not
occur during peak traffic periods (morning or evening
commute periods). The lanes would be closed between the
hours of 9:30 AM to 2:30 PM Monday through Friday. Under
the construction plan a single lane on the east side of
Winchester Boulevard would occur at off-peak periods for
about two weeks to accommodate trenching and installation
of conduit and removal of the overhead lines. The
northbound right-turn lane of Winchester Boulevard would
be closed during off-peak periods for no longer than five
days to accommodate trenching. A single lane on the south
side of Lark Avenue would be closed in off-peak periods
for no longer than five days to accommodate trenching. A
lane closure also would be occur in off-peak hours during
one weekday on the west side of the southbound lane of
Winchester Boulevard to transfer tubular steel poles from
trucks to the site. In addition, the installation of the
new wires from the substation to the tubular steel pole
in the Elk's Lodge parking lot would require a brief
stoppage of traffic in all lanes as the wires are pulled
across Winchester Boulevard. PG&E proposes to
schedule the wire installation during the weekends. The
hours of construction would be coordinated with the Town
of Los Gatos. Traffic delays of up to ten minutes are
estimated for each wire pulling, of which there would up
to six. After each wire is pulled, PG&E would allow
traffic to pass.

PG&E proposes to provide signage and cone placement
consistent with the Caltrans "Work Area Protection
and Traffic Control Manual" (April 1996) (PG&E,
1997b). During non-construction periods, the trenches
would be covered with load-bearing plates so that both
roads would be available for full use by vehicles. The
actual dates of construction and land closures would be
coordinated with the Town of Los Gatos.

The proposed construction lane closures would result in
temporary traffic delays and an increase in hazards
related to open trenching and wire pulling that are
less-than-significant because of the measures proposed by
PG&E for traffic management. Additional mitigation is
not required.

The project site entrance,
which is shared with the Santa Clara Fire Protection
District, would not be modified. The District uses the
office for administrative functions only. No impact would
result from the project.

During construction, open trenches in one lane of
Winchester Boulevard and Lark Avenue and across the
sidewalk in front of the site along Winchester Boulevard,
and movement of construction vehicles and equipment would
create temporary hazards for vehicles and pedestrians.
PG&E has proposed use of signage and cones, as
prescribed by Caltrans, and staffed traffic control
during periods of lane closures and wire pulling.
PG&E also proposes covering of trenches with heavy
load-bearing plates during periods of construction
inactivity. These measures proposed as part of the
project would reduce the hazards to a
less-than-significant level. Additional mitigation is not
required.

Site entrance improvements
would not be modified. The project includes a 20-foot
internal access road surrounding the proposed substation
(see Figure 2). The Santa Clara Fire Protection
District's use of the adjacent site is for administrative
offices, not as a fire station. Therefore, no impact
related to emergency response capabilities would occur.
During construction activity periods for the underground
distribution line, lane closures on Winchester Boulevard
and Lark Avenue would not be available to emergency
vehicles. However, as both streets have lanes available
for passage of vehicles, the impact would be less than
significant. During brief periods of street closure for
wire pulling, emergency vehicles would not be able to
pass. As required by the Town as part of its encroachment
permit and attendant construction-related traffic plan,
advance notification of emergency service providers would
be required for proposed street closures. Additional
mitigation is not required.

The substation would not
generate parking demand because no employees would work
at the site on a daily basis. Therefore, no impact
related to parking demand from the project would occur.
During construction, construction worker parking would be
accommodated on-site.

The project site's border
along Winchester Boulevard includes a sidewalk. No
modification to the sidewalk or to any bike facilities
would occur. A trench would be cut into the sidewalk in
front of the substation site and at the crosswalk at the
northeast corner of Winchester Boulevard and Lark Avenue
for the underground distribution line. The trench would
be covered with a heavy load-bearing plate and would be
identified with signage. No substantial hazard to
pedestrians and bicyclists would be expected. Therefore,
there would be no impact related to hazards to
pedestrians or bicyclists.

The project site would not
create a demand for site visits that would generate the
need for increased public transit and related facilities,
such as bus turn-outs or bicycle lanes, etc. The street
and sidewalk would be returned to their existing
condition following construction, therefore, no conflict
with transportation policies would occur (Los Gatos,
1994).

No rail, waterborne, or air
traffic is located near the project site. No rail line or
waterway is located on the site. The substation and
transmission lines would be no higher than the
transmission towers already present nearby, and
therefore, no increased hazard for air traffic would
occur. The substation project would have no affect on
these modes of transportation.